Roof-bracket.



No. 893,123. PATENTED JULY 14, 1908.

,E.G.APPLBTON." R001? B\RAGKBT."

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 18, 1907.

A TTORNE 1 5 EUGENE Gr. APPLETON, OF BURLINGTON, IOWA.

ROOF-BRACKE T.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 14, 1908.

Application filed February 18, 1907. Serial N 0. 358,073.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EUGENE G. APPLETON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Burlington, in the county of Des Moines and State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Roof-Bracket, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to devices of that class known as roof or shingle brackets designed as an aid to workman in the repairing or ainting of roofs or other portions of bui dings.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a bracket of simple and inexpensive construction which may be readily attached to a shingled roof without injury to the roof, and which will serve as a firm and rigid su port for ladders, stages, scaffolds, or the li e at any point, so that access may be had to all parts of the exterior of the building without danger to theworkmen.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of this type which may be placed in position without the employment of auxiliary securing devices and which increases in stability in accordance with the pressure exerted thereon.

With these and other objects in view, as will more fully hereinafter appear, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts, hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportions, size and minor details of the structure may be made without departing from thes irit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings :Figure 1 is a perspective view of a roof clamp or bracket constructed in accordance with the invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same showing a ortion of a roof in section and the application of the device for use as a support for a scaffoldor stage hook. Fig. 3 is a detail rspective view of the device as employed or a roof scafiold; Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the employment of the device 'as a ladder support for a sloping roof. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of a slight modification of the invention. Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

The device forming the subject of the inthus transmitted vention may be made of wood or metal, and includes a base 10 in the form of a plate which tapers in thickness and width toward a point 11, at one end, and at the opposite end is provided with a thickened head or base 12 from the bottom of which project one or more spurs 13. On top of the base plate at a point near the head 12 is a block 14, the forward face of which is perpendicular to the upper surface of the plate and forms a stop shoulder 14 against which the ladder or other object may rest. In advance of the base of the shoulder 14, the upper face of the block tapers, as indicated at 15 down to the upper surface of the plate, so that when a ladder or other object is placed in position it will ride down this inclined surface against the shoulder 14 and will thus be held at some slight 7 distance from the surface of the roof, so that in case of sagging of the central portion of the ladder or other object when placed between two of such brackets, the ladder will not come into contact with the roof to such an extent as to prevent its weight being'imposed on the shoulders 14. In the central portion of this tapered portion is a socket 16, preferablyconical in form, and if the device is formed of wood, the recess is lined with metal. Preferably though the device is made of malleable iron or pressed metal.

In using the device, the pointed end of the base is slipped upward under a shingle in the manner shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and the prongs 13 will embed themselves in the next lowermost shingle or shingles, and may pass through to the inner planking, the degree of penetration of the prongs depending on the pressure exerted, so that as the weight increases the device becomes more securely fastened in place. The thickened base 12 in part compensates for the thickness of the shingle on which the major portion of the base plate rests, as will be apparent in Fig. 2, so that there will be no danger of the prongs slipping from position.

When the device is employed for a support for a safety stage, such as is ordinarily employed by painters or masons in repairing.

the side wa s of a house, the hooksacshown in Fig. 2 are placed in the recesses 16, and the weight of the hooks and the workman is directly to the prongs, so that the latter become embedded in the shingles or penetrate through to the planking .in accordance with the weight imposed. In

this manner the ordinary wedge hooks are rendered unnecessary and injury to the roof by enetration of the hooks is avoided. It will be noted that the inclined portion 15 of the bracket assumes an approximately horizontal position when the device is in position on an inclined roof, as shown in Fig. 2, thus giving the greatest range of swinging movement of the stage hook ocwithout danger of slipping of the hook from the socket.

In the painting of shingled roofs as ordi narily practiced, a ladder is placed up and down the roof with its lowermost end resting in the gutter, if any, or in many cases it be comes necessary to insure the safety of the workman by the employment of ropes or similar supports. In the use of the present device a pair of brackets are placed in position, one of such brackets being shown in Fig. 3, the longer being placed at any convenient point with due regard to the length of the ladder or other foot support y on which the workman is to stand. The side rail of the ladder rests on the inclined portions 15 and shoulders 14 of the brackets, and thus is held at some distance above the shingles, so that should the side rail of the ladder bend it will still remain out of contact with the shingles, and all of the weight of the workman and the ladder will be imposed on the brackets, so that the spurs of the latter may penetrate and hold the ladder or other support firmly in place.

In Fig. 4 is illustrated another use of the invention where the device is used to engage with the rung of a ladder extending up and down a roof. The device may, also, be conveniently used as a support for paint pots, or may be placed in any position where steps are necessary to gain access to any portion of the structure being repaired.

In Fig. 5 is illustrated a slight modification of 'the invention, the structure in this instance being similar to that shown in Fig. 1., except that its skeleton shape makes it lighter and more convenient in some respects in handling.

I claim 1. A roof bracket including a base plate, a block or lug projecting from the lower end thereof, the forward or upper face of said block or lug forming a stop shoulder for engagement with a ladder or the like, there being a tapered or inclined portion extending from the base of the forward. face of said block or lug to the surface of the plate to form a supporting surface that is arranged to assume an approximately horizontal plane when the bracket is in position on a roof, said tapered or inclined portion being provided with a socket for the reception of a stage hook or the like.

2. A roof bracket including a tapered plate, the forward or upper end of which is arranged to pass under a shingle, the rear or lower edge of the plate being thickened and extended downward from the base, a prong projecting from the base, a block, the forward face of which forms a stop shoulder substantially perpendicular to the plane of the plate, said block having an inclined portion extending from the base of the forward face of the block to the plate, and on. which a ladder or other object may ride against said sto shoulder to thereby elevate the ladder slig itly above the plane of the roof.

In testimony that I claim. the foregoing my own, I have hereto allixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

EUGENE G. APPLETOIN.

\Vitnesses GEO. E. EYRs'roNE, D. D. BENTZINGER. 

